Virginia is a great state. A dear friend of mine went there for college (JMU) and I visited her numerous times. Also I have been good. Spring is here and freak weather has caused it to feel like summer so I have gotten a head-start on my landscaping and gardening. This year I am growing different kinds of tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, string beans, california poppies, oriental poppies, delphiniums, echinacea & moonflowers. I will be going to Florida in 2 weeks as well. And although my life is good, I can however say, I feel I am in a rut of sorts. Not making the progress in life I have wanted to. I will be 23 in Sept. and I just feel my youth is being whisked away by the tides of time. Who knows. How are you my photographer friend?
High Rock Day 2.
I visited the forest again with my panels and paints ready. I must say I feel more successful. I did better on limiting the amount of colors I allowed myself to put down. Instead I focused on the most important colors and worked hard to mix the ones I felt fit just right. The two paintings will follow this.
About High Rock Paintings.
The previous 2 paintings posted were some plein-air paintings I had done in the forest. Most of my landscapes are focusing on a distance from where I sit. However while sitting and painting I realized the vast amount of information around me. I was unable to focus on a distant place and the paintings instead were me trying to get a grasp on the massive amount of colors, values, and textures around me. Overwhelming. The first of which seems almost fully abstract. In reality it was a small hill in front of me with a couple trees growing from the side and above and beyond the crest of the hill was forest. Yet the way the light hit the ground there was an infinite amount of colored spots. The result of my confusion and frustration ends up being unrecognizable. The second, again, was so much information as water rushed from my left and down the falls in between two walls of rock. I will soon again be attempting to capture something in that wonderful place. I am unsatisfied. But it was a great experience.
View high resolution
Grape Tomatoes
A. M. Santo
2012
(Playing with representationalism again. I enjoyed the lime and apple so I figured I would have another go at it.)
View high resolution
Apple & Lime
A. M. Santo
2012
This study I had done with the intent of dabbling in realism again. Call it a test to myself or what not. But after almost 2 years of working in a much looser style I wanted to take a quick step backwords.
